Weekend Football Focus

13 April 2012
FA CUP FIFTH ROUND MATCHES

Arsenal v Gillingham

Tickets: Sold out
Facts: Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 games. Gillingham, who are yet to concede a goal in this season's FA Cup, have won three of their seven games against opposition from London this season
Recommended pub: Drayton Park (66 Drayton Road)
On the face of it, Gillingham have about as much chance of beating Arsenal in tomorrow's cup tie as the Singing Postman had of beating Will Young to the Pop Idol title. The Gunners aren't going to be in the mood for charity, especially after working so hard to beat Liverpool in the previous round. Arsene Wenger, though, must guard against his blue chip team having at least one eye on next week's Champions League showdown against Bayer Leverkusen.
Verdict: TOP GUNNERS

Chelsea v Preston

Tickets: £26-£35 (£11-£20 concs). Tel. 020 7386 7799
Facts: Chelsea are unbeaten in their last five games and have scored in 10 successive matches. Preston's last FA Cup game against Premiership opposition ended in a 2-0 defeat at Everton in January 2000
Recommended pub: The Bridge (Fulham Road)
Try as they might, there are still some foreign players in the Premiership who believe the FA Cup is to football what Club Reps is to quality TV viewing. Claudio Ranieri may be well advised to remind his Chelsea players how hard they had to work to beat West Ham in the last round and how it really would be exceedingly tiresome if they threw all that away by treating Preston too lightly. The Lancashire club's manager, David Moyes, is highly-rated within the game but, as yet, a top job still eludes him.
Verdict: BLUES UP FOR THE CUP

Tottenham v Tranmere

Tickets: £20-£30 (£10-£15 concs). Tel 020 8365 5100
Facts: Tottenham have gone nine Premiership games since keeping a clean sheet but are yet to concede a goal in this year's FA Cup
Recommended pub: Antwerp Arms (Church Road)
With the Worthington Cup Final just over a week away - Tottenham fans had better set off for Cardiff now - Glenn Hoddle's men may just be a little distracted for Sunday's FA Cup clash against Tranmere. Hoddle will want to make sure his team have their serious head on, however, because you can't have too many cups in the cabinet. Teddy Sheringham, left out of England's squad during the week, should be suitably refreshed and ready to weave his magic.
Verdict: TEDDY'S TEAM ON TOP

Walsall v Fulham

Tickets: Sold out
Facts: Fulham have conceded just two goals in their last six games. Walsall have lost only two of eight games against London opposition so far this season - both defeats were inflicted by Watford.
Recommended pub: King George V (Wallows Lane)
Woeful Walsall, beaten 3-0 at home by struggling Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, surely have little chance against Fulham. In fact, should The Saddlers win tomorrow, I am prepared to have a bet on Keith Vaz being named Parliamentarian of the Year. It would be good to see Fulham have a real run in the FA Cup, although the thought of their chairman cavorting around Cardiff does temper the enthusiasm a bit.
Verdict: FULHAM IN THE SIXTH ROUND DRAW

NATIONWIDE LEAGUE FIXTURES

Sheffield Weds v Watford

Away ticket info: £16 (£10 concs). Watford fans can pay at turnstiles
Last season: 2 (Sibon, Ekoku) 3 (Vernazza, Ward, Smith)
Facts: Watford, who have lost just one of their last five league visits to Hillsborough, have gone three away games without a win. The Owls have scored only two goals in their last four home league games
Recommended pub: Wadsley Jack (Rural Lane)
There are those who believe Gianluca Vialli should be at a club more suited to his style and that managing Watford is like Delia Smith enjoying a nosh in the worst greasy spoon. That's just plain elitism, though, and Vialli must grit his teeth. The Hornets, fresh from a win over Grimsby, travel to improving Sheffield Wedensday desperately looking for the three points that will at least lift them into the top half of the table.
Verdict: VIALLI WORTH A POINT

Wimbledon v Crystal Palace

Tickets: Wimbledon: £15-£20 (£5-£10 concs). Palace (in Arthur Wait Stand) £18 (£10 concs)
Last season: 1 (Agyemang) 0
Facts: Wimbledon are unbeaten in their last five home games, conceding only one goal during that run. Palace have lost their last two games at Selhurst Park but have won their last three on the road
Recommended pub: Selhurst Arms (Selhurst Road)
Wimbledon's players are in for a rare treat tomorrow when they get to change in the home dressing room at Selhurst Park. Trevor Francis's Palace continue to knock on the door and victory over their tenants could put them above that dotted line and in a play-off position. For Terry Burton's Dons, who battled to a useful point at Gillingham last weekend, there is more than enough incentive in just pulverising their landlords.
Verdict: DONS TO NICK THIS DERBY

Peterborough v Brentford

Away tickets info: £10-£15 (£7 concs). Brentford fans can pay at the turnstiles
Last season: 1 (M Williams) 1 (Ingimarsson)
Facts: Peterborough have gone six games without a win.Brentford are unbeaten in their last four, but have gone 10 away games without a win
Recommended pub: Cherry Tree Inn (Oundle Road)
Brentford will be feeling decidedly bullish following their tremendous win over Cardiff in midweek and it's testament to Steve Coppell's continued good works that the Bees are right back in there with a promotion shout. I've been banging on about Coppell for some time, but I really do think he's under-valued as a manager. Self-effacing and sometimes taciturn, Coppell is certainly no self-publicist, but his team's results speak volumes.
Verdict: BUOYANT BEES

QPR v Wrexham

Tickets: £15-£18 (£7-£9 concs). Tel. 020 8740 2575
Facts: Rangers have gone seven home games without defeat. Wrexham are unbeaten in their last four league games - their best run of the season
Recommended pub: Bushranger (Goldhawk Road)
The way QPR tossed away a two-goal lead at Northampton last weekend, to settle for a point in the end, must have had manager Ian Holloway looking as happy as a bulldog chewing a wasp. However, the consolation is that Holloway's side can swiftly make up the lost ground if they dispose of Wrexham at Loftus Road.
Verdict: HAPPIER HOLLOWAY

Shrewsbury v Leyton Orient

Tickets: £10-£12 (£6-£8 concs). Orient fans can pay at the turnstiles
Last season: 1 (Jagielka) 1 (McLean)
Facts: Orient haven't won for six games and last triumphed at Gay Meadow in December 1997. Shrewsbury have gone four games without a win
Recommended pub: The Crown (Abbey Foregate)
Halifax are apparently potless but before you rush out to withdraw your life savings, it's the football club we're talking about here, not the building society. The Os are playing Shrewsbury tomorrow but will be pleased to see that Halifax are in such dire straits. Orient and the rest of the Third Division strugglers are just praying it's the club from The Shay who are forced to make that end-of-season switch to the Conference.
Verdict: THE AGONY GOES ON FOR ORIENT

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